RASPBERRY & WHISKEY EASY-BAKE CHEESECAKE , an indulgence

Being able to make this light lovely easy-bake cheesecake 48 hours before needed is a bonus...

Indulgent dark chocolate oats, cloud-like filling & whiskey soaked raspberries.   
'Yummy!!' Tasters

The gorgeous colours of this easy-bake cheesecake with raspberries makes it a natural for Valentine's Day but the addition of whiskey and crunchy chocolate hobnobs adds a touch of Burns Night.

This is not a dessert for vegans.  It's rich with dairy -- cream cheese, yoghurt and soured cream.  It has eggs, too, and more sugar than is usual for 67 desserts, though quantities have been slightly reduced.  

The baked cheesecake produces a fluffy, almost cloud-like body that somehow provides a delicate heft.  Unlike most cheesecake bases, this one is thin and crispy.

Properly chilled, it is unbelievably good.

It is a definite indulgence - calorifically and financially, even if you take advantage of some the cream cheese bargains in the supermarkets.

But it is a dessert intended for special occasions and, with the filling being rather deep, it will go far.

Cost: £6-7
Serves: 10

Base:
    200g/7oz dark chocolate hobnobs
      60g/2.1 oz unsalted butter, melted


Filling:
   480g/17oz full-fat cream cheese (67 used Duchy organic; Philadelphia will be fine)
   160ml plain yoghurt (not too thick)
    1 tsp vanilla extract 
    3 yolks from med free range eggs

     3 egg whites from med free-range eggs, separated
     100g/3.5oz caster sugar
       
Topping:
   250-300ml soured cream

Garnish:
   150gm/5.2oz raspberries, 1/2 mashed, the rest quartered, mixed with a tablespoon or two of sugar & whisky
    
Method:

1. Line 20cm/8inch metal loose-sided or removable-bottom tin with  greaseproof paper
2. Bash biscuits in a freezer or supermarket bag with a rolling pin until no big lumps remain; coarse crumbs are fine.  
3. Stir in melted butter; press over bottom of tin; chill at least 30 mins
4. When ready to  bake, heat oven to 180fan/350f/160/gas 4
5. Beat egg whites lightly until broken; add sugar, stirring well; continue beating till soft peaks form (it will take a few minutes; soft peaks will form as you lift the beaters)
6. In another bowl, lightly beat cream cheese, yoghurt, egg yolks & vanilla just until blended and smooth with no streaks of egg yolk - a matter of seconds
7. Fold a third of egg whites into the cream cheese then fold in another third and after that, the rest. Try not to knock the air out of the mix. (Fold: bring spatula down the centre of the mix and scrape bottom, bringing the spatula up again, turning bowl slightly each time.)
8. Pour over base; place on a baking tray
9. Bake 35-45 mins or until top is golden & centre still wobbles a bit
10. Turn off the oven, LEAVING THE CHEESECAKE INSIDE but with the oven door open.  
11. After one hour, take it out; carefully spread a layer of sour cream over the top. Return to oven (without turning it on again)
12. Leave a further hour with oven door open; remove and cool completely.   
13. If not eating that day, wrap well in two layer of air tight cling film and refrigerate up to 48 hours
14. Before serving make a flattish circular depression about 1.5 inches from the edge of the pan; fill it with the whisky raspberries.  

Comments:

'It's yummy! I like the thin base; there's not too much to crunch through!'. 
Political Agent
"Yum!!' Second political agent

Tips:

• For kids: replace whiskey with orange juice & a pinch of cinnamon

Copyright: This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permissio